Modeling the Effect of Nonlinear and Rate-Limited Sorption on the Natural Attenuation of Chlorinated Ethenes

<p>Chlorinated solvents like tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE) are the most common detected groundwater contaminants at Department of Defense installations in the United States. Unfortunately technologies conventionally used to remediate chlorinated solvent-contaminated groundwater often fall short of achieving regulatory goals. Natural attenuation of chlorinated solvents offers an alternative remediation strategy that may achieve goals. However the processes involved with natural attenuation are not fully understood and this lack of understanding has hindered acceptance of natural attenuation by regulatory agencies. This study involved use of a numerical model that incorporated the physical chemical and biological processes thought to be relevant to the fate and transport of chlorinated ethenes in the subsurface. The model was used to conduct a parameter sensitivity analysis to investigate the effect of non-linear and rate-limited sorption processes on the natural attenuation of chlorinated ethenes. The model showed that both rate-limited and non-linear sorption resulted in early arrival of contaminant at wells downgradient of a source area as well as persistence of contamination at the wells for long periods of time.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p>